Genichiro Tenryu
| birth_place = Katsuyama, Fukui | death_date = | death_place = | resides = | billed = | trainer = Dory Funk, Jr. Terry Funk Giant Baba | debut = November 13, 1976 | retired = November 15, 2015 }} Genichiro Tenryu (Tenryū Gen'ichirō), real name Genichiro Shimada (嶋田源一郎 Shimada Gen'ichirō, February 2, 1950), is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling. "Tenryu" was his shikona. Sumo wrestling career As a sumo wrestler, Tenryu was ranked as a sekitori for 27 tournaments, 16 of them in the top makuuchi division. His highest rank was maegashira 1. Upon the death of his stablemaster at Nishonoseki stable he wanted to join former stablemate Daikirin's newly established Oshiogawa stable, which had just broken off from Nishonoseki, but the JSA insisted he stay at Nishonoseki whose new stablemaster, Kongō, he did not get along with. He finished one more tournament, and even though his career still showed promise, he decided to leave the sumo world at the young age of 26 in September 1976. Professional wrestling career Scouted by Giant Baba, the All Japan Pro Wrestling owner, Tenryu was sent to Amarillo, Texas to be trained by Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk, and debuted in Texas in 1976, against Ted DiBiase. After returning to Japan, he stayed in the undercard until about 1982 when he began to get a slight push in that year's Champion Carnival tournament. In 1983, following a brief stint in Jim Crockett Promotions, his push began in earnest when Jumbo Tsuruta pursued the NWA International heavyweight title, now the main title in the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. 1984 saw Tenryu winning the NWA United National title, now also part of the Triple Crown, as well as the NWA International tag team title with Tsuruta. Their combination was called "Kakuryu" (鶴 = kaku = tsuru (the "tsuru" in Tsuruta) + 龍 = ryū in Tenryū). The team feuded with Riki Chōshū and Yoshiaki Yatsu, who were the leaders in an "invasion" angle by the Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, an All Japan satellite made up of former New Japan Pro Wrestling talent. In 1987, following the departure of the Japan Pro talent, Kakuryu broke up after losing the tag team titles to the Road Warriors, which led to Tenryu forming his own stable, "Revolution", with former International Pro Wrestling wrestlers Ashura Hara and Hiromichi Fuyuki, as well as All Japan rookies Toshiaki Kawada, and Yoshinari Ogawa; Tatsumi Kitahara would join the group upon his debut in 1988. Tenryu and Hara feuded with Tsuruta and his new partner Yatsu over the PWF (Pacific Wrestling Federation) tag team titles and later with their replacement, the AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (a combination of the PWF and NWA International tag belts). Hara was kicked out of the promotion in late 1988, and Tenryu replaced him with Stan Hansen, with whom he held the World Tag Team Championship as well. 1989 was Tenryu's banner year. Tsuruta became the first Triple Crown champion on April 18 of that year, and just two days later Tenryu became his first challenger. The Tsuruta-Tenryu series that ensued set the standard for all Triple Crown matches and feuds to follow. When Tenryu won the belts on June 5, the match was so spectacular it was deemed Match of the Year by major Japanese publications. The same year saw him finally pin his mentor Baba, albeit in a tag match - but still a major success for a Japanese wrestler. Only Mitsuharu Misawa would follow him to that. In addition, Tenryu was chosen to be one-third of the NWA World 6-Man Tag Team Champions with the Road Warriors after the Road Warriors turned heel against their former co-holder of the title, Dusty Rhodes. However, Tenryu's increasing commitments to All Japan meant less time to wrestle in the United States, and this resulted in the six man championship being vacated and temporarily being abandoned until 1991, when it was temporarily resurrected as a World Championship Wrestling championship. Tenryu's most high-profile North American match was for the World Wrestling Federation in 1991 at WrestleMania VII, where he teamed with Koji Kitao to defeat Demolition. He also appeared in both the 1993 Royal Rumble and 1994 Royal Rumble; in the latter he made it to the final five but was eliminated by eventual co-winners Lex Luger and Bret Hart. An angle had he and The Great Kabuki hired as mercenaries by Yokozuna's manager, Mr. Fuji, to attack Luger and prevent him from winning. In April 1990, Tenryu left All Japan to form SWS. After its collapse in June 1992, Tenryu, aided by Masatomo Takei (brother of his wife Makiyo) formed WAR. WAR became his base from where he would take on top wrestlers from other promotions, such as Atsushi Onita, Nobuhiko Takada, The Great Muta, Shinya Hashimoto and Masahiro Chono, all of whom he defeated. He also traded victories with Tatsumi Fujinami and Antonio Inoki, thus becoming the only Japanese wrestler to defeat both Inoki and Baba by pinfall. In 1998, as WAR went into decline, Tenryu began an earnest comeback, this time in New Japan. He first joined Heisei Ishingun, allied with its leader Shiro Koshinaka, and they won the IWGP Tag Team Championship from Team Wolf, Masahiro Chono and Hiroyoshi Tenzan. In December 1999, Tenryu made history as the first native to win the top two distinctions of professional wrestling in Japan (All Japan's Triple Crown and New Japan's IWGP Heavyweight title) by beating Mutoh for the IWGP title. (The first man to win both titles was Big Van Vader, an American.) In 2000, following the near-collapse of All Japan due to the Pro Wrestling Noah split, Tenryu closed WAR and rejoined All Japan, eager to test his mettle against the remaining ace, his former disciple Kawada. Tenryu beat Kawada in the subsequent tournament for the vacant Triple Crown, winning the belts for a second time. In his second stay in All Japan, he would capture the belts a third time and also the World Tag Team Championship with former WAR-UWFI feud rival Yoji Anjo. In 2003, he joined Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling for a few matches, but as it declined rapidly, he switched back and forth aimlessly between New Japan and All Japan. In 2005, he entered Noah, and began feuds with Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, and other wrestlers he knew from his first All Japan stint, as well as new faces he's never met in the ring before, such as Jun Akiyama. Tenryu has been also been with the HUSTLE promotion and was a part of the main heel group led by Generalissimo Takada. During this time, he teamed with Toshiaki Kawada mainly. At HUSTLE Aid 2007, however, Tenryu was defeated by Razor Ramon HG and joined the main face group led by Razor Ramon HG, HUSTLE Army. In December 2009, following the folding of Hustle, Tenryu began running his own Tenryu Project promotion. He still makes forays into other promotions, still active even past age 60. In wrestling *'Finishing moves' :*''53 Sai'' (Snap brainbuster) – 2003–present :*Folding powerbomb :*Lariat :*Scoop brainbuster *'Signature moves' :*Backhand chop :*Cloverleaf :*DDT, sometimes to a rope hung opponent :*Diving back elbow drop :*Frankensteiner :*German suplex :*''Guh Punch'' (Jab to the opponent's jaw) :*Hangman's neckbreaker :*Kesagiri chop :*''Swastika Hold'' (Modified abdominal stretch) :*Shoot kick to the opponent's face :*Standing or a leg-feed enzuigiri :*Suicide dive :*''WAR Special'' (Seated double chickenwing) *'Nicknames' :*"Mr. Puroresu" *'Entrance themes' :*"Thunder Storm" by Masayoshi Takanaka (AJPW / SWS / WAR; 1981–1990, 1991–present) :*"Genichiro Tenryu SWS" (SWS / WWF; 1990–1991) Championships and accomplishments *'All Japan Pro Wrestling' :*AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Masanobu Fuchi :*NWA International Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Jumbo Tsuruta :*NWA United National Championship (2 times) :*PWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time) :*PWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ashura Hara :*Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (3 times) :*World Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Stan Hansen (3), Ashura Hara (1), and Yoji Anjo (1) :*Champion Carnival (2001) :*World's Strongest Tag Determination League (1984) – with Jumbo Tsuruta :*World's Strongest Tag Determination League (1986) – with Jumbo Tsuruta :*World's Strongest Tag Determination League (1989) – with Stan Hansen :*January 2 Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal (1982) :*United National Title League (1986) :*Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship Tournament (2000) :*Champion's Carnival Technique Award (1982) :*World's Strongest Tag Determination League New Wave Award (1981) – with Ashura Hara :*World's Strongest Tag Determination League Fighting Spirit Award (1982) – with Ashura Hara :*World's Strongest Tag Determination League Technique Award (1983) – with Jumbo Tsuruta :*World's Strongest Tag Determination League Outstanding Performance Award (1985) – with Jumbo Tsuruta :*World's Strongest Tag Determination League Outstanding Performance Award (1987) – with Ashura Hara :*World's Strongest Tag Determination League Outstanding Fighting Spirit Award (1987) – with Ashura Hara :*World's Strongest Tag Determination League Fighting Spirit Award (1988) – with Toshiaki Kawada :*World's Strongest Tag Determination League Best Player Award (1989) *'Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling' :*WMG Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Riki Chōshū *'HUSTLE' :*Hustle Super Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tadao Yasuda *'Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling / World Championship Wrestling' :*NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mr. Fuji :*NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with the Road Warriors *'New Japan Pro Wrestling' **IWGP Heavyweight Championship (1 time) **IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Shiro Koshinaka *''Nikkan Sports'' :* Match of the Year (1999) vs. Keiji Mutoh on May 3 *'Pro Wrestling Illustrated' :*PWI ranked him #'44' of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003 :*PWI ranked him #'14' of the 100 best tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Jumbo Tsuruta in 2003 *'Super World of Sports' :*SWS vs WWF Tournament (1990) :*One Night Tag Team Tournament (1990) - with Koji Kitao *'Tenryu Project' **Tenryu Project Six Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Arashi and Tomohiro Ishii **Hidden Genius R League (2013) - with Ryuichi Kawakami *'Tokyo Sports' :*Wrestler of the Year (1986, 1987, 1988, 1993) :*Popularity Award (1977) :*Technique Award (1990) :*Performance Award (1981, 1984, 1996) :*Fighting Spirit Award (1983) :*Tag Team of the Year (1983, 1985)- :*Tag Team of the Year (1987)- :*Match of the Year (1987)- :*Match of the Year (1988)- :*Match of the Year (1989)- :*Match of the Year (1991)- :*Match of the Year (1993)- :*Match of the Year (1994)- :*Match of the Year (1996)- :*Match of the Year (1999)- :*Match of the Year (2015)- *'Wrestle Association "R"' :*J-1 Heavyweight Championship (1 time) :*WAR World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Koki Kitahara and Animal Hamaguchi (1), and Nobutaka Araya and Último Dragón (1) :*Six Man Tag Team Tournament (1994) - with Atsushi Onita and Crusher Bam Bam Bigelow :*One Night Tag Team Tournament (1995) - with Último Dragón :*J-1 Heavyweight Championship Tournament (1998) *'Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards' :*5 Star Match (1986) :*5 Star Match (1988) :*5 Star Match (1989) :*5 Star Match (1989) :*Match of the Year (2001) :*Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996) See also *Genichiro Tenryu's event history External links * Genichiro Tenryu profile at CAGEMATCH.net * Profile Category:1950 births Category:Japanese wrestlers Category:Wrestling executives Category:1976 debuts Category:All Japan Pro Wrestling alumni Category:American Wrestling Association alumni Category:Big Japan Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Diamond Ring alumni Category:Dragon Gate alumni Category:Dramatic Dream Team alumni Category:Fighting Of World Japan alumni Category:Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling alumni Category:Georgia Championship Wrestling alumni Category:Hawaii Championship Wrestling alumni Category:HUSTLE alumni Category:Jim Crockett Promotions alumni Category:New Japan Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Osaka Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Pro Wrestling King's Road alumni Category:Pro Wrestling NOAH alumni Category:Real Japan Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Super World Sports alumni Category:World Championship Wrestling alumni Category:World Wrestling Entertainment alumni Category:Wrestle Association-R alumni Category:Wrestling Marvelous Future alumni Category:Living people Category:Promoters Category:2015 retirements Category:Central States Wrestling alumni Category:Championship Wrestling From Florida alumni Category:Dotonbori Pro Wrestling alumni Category:FREEDOMS alumni Category:International Wrestling alumni Category:International Wrestling Enterprise alumni Category:Kaientai Dojo alumni Category:Kyushu Pro Wrestling alumni Category:Ladies Legend Pro Wrestling-X alumni Category:Mobius alumni Category:National Wrestling Alliance alumni Category:NWA Western States Sports alumni Category:Onita Pro alumni Category:Ryukyu Dragon Pro Wrestling alumni Category:SMASH alumni Category:St. Louis Wrestling Club alumni Category:Toryumon Japan alumni Category:Union of Wrestling Forces International alumni Category:World Class Championship Wrestling alumni Category:WRESTLE-1 alumni Category:IWGP Tag Team Champions Category:IWGP Heavyweight Champions Category:Male wrestlers Category:Tenryu Project alumni